New Publix holiday ad has some viewers reaching for tissues

For many families, the holiday season is a time full of traditions — often passed down from one generation to the next. That’s the spirit of a new holiday ad from Publix, which is making some viewers emotional.

In the ad, appropriately just called “Christmas morning,” a young girl creeps down the stairs to find her grandma in the kitchen.

“You’re up early,” the grandma says to the little girl, who is clearly eager to open gifts. “Too excited?” she asks.

When the little girl nods, the grandmother says, “I have an idea” and gets out a mixing bowl.

The duo spend time together making a raspberry breakfast treat (which you can get the recipe for here) while waiting for other family members to wake up.

The ad then cuts forward in time to show how this holiday tradition lives on.

It's not the first time the grocery store has had a memorable holiday ad. (See some past favorite commercials here).

So how does Publix come up with their ads?

In Publix's podcast, a member of the grocer's advertising department discussed what makes a hit.

“What we have now practiced for several years is that this opportunity to connect with customers on an emotional level kind of takes our relationship with our customers to a different place,” said Tim, a member of Publix’s ad team whose last name isn’t given. “They appreciate our brand for that.”

He said the company’s objective is to be able to connect with viewers by sharing a “glimpse of those memorable moments” that the holidays bring.

“We’re trying to make it relatable,” he said. “We’re just happy to play a small role in those memorable moments.”

In this year’s ad, he said it’s about how we look back on fond memories from past Christmases and how those traditions can be gifts to young ones.

“When we look back, the things we hold onto are those memories,” Tim said.

Some viewers on social media said this year’s ad had them reaching for the tissues — a success for the Publix team.